Kolkata, March 8 (IANS): Launching her Lok Sabha campaign on International Women's Day, Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate Subhashini Ali Saturday focussed on issues faced by women as she accused the West Bengal government of fostering an "environment of terror".

Ali, the daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army associates Prem Sahgal and Laxmi Sahgal, attacked policies of both the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress state government and the Congress-led UPA central government while visiting Barrackpore constituency, from where she is contesting, in North 24 Parganas district.

"The spate of incidents of crime on women is indicative of the overall scenario in the state and how they are living under an environment of fear and insecurity. Such incidents may happen anywhere but what is important is the government's attitude towards them.

"Unfortunately, the government here either tries to hush up the matter or holds the victim responsible. And finally gives a political colour to it. This encourages the criminals while the victims are discouraged enhancing their plight," said Ali.

Ali also attacked the Banerjee government for slashing the budget for women and child welfare.

"First it failed to utilize most of the funds allocated for women and child welfare , and then inexplicably this year, they slashed the budget for women and child. I don't know which way the government is walking.

"Unfortunately the centre too is walking the same path and because of its policies, poverty has been spreading across the country," said Ali who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur in 1989.

Observing that scenario in Barrackpore was different from Kanpur, Ali opined it was not necessary for a candidate to belong from the constituency but it was rather the policies that are to be followed which matter the most.

Blaming the Trinamool regime for rise in farmer suicides, Ali said it was time for the people of the state to re-embrace the Left and also cautioned against the rise of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"BJP's emergence anywhere is a threat," she said.

Meanwhile her rival in the constituency, Trinamool's Dinesh Trivedi said people of the state were aspiring to bring a change in the country.

"After living in depravity and tyranny for 34 long years, people of the state embraced parivartan (change) ushered in by Trinamool. Now with the presence of Anna Hazare, people again are aspiring to bring a change in the country," said Trivedi, a former railways minister.